What should sexual harassment training cover?

Good sexual harassment training leaves every member of staff able to do five things: recognise sexual harassment, know the forms it takes at work, understand what the law expects, report a concern or support a colleague, and help build a respectful workplace every day.

It matters more from 30 October 2026. From that date, the Employment Rights Act 2025 raises the employer’s duty from reasonable steps to all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. Guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission lists training for staff as one of those steps. Many employers are not ready yet: an Acas survey carried out by YouGov in spring 2026 found that 41% of employers did not know about the change.

1. What sexual harassment is

Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that violates someone’s dignity, or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. What matters is whether it was unwanted and the effect it had. Calling it a joke does not change that.

2. The forms it takes at work

It can be spoken, written, physical or online: comments about someone’s appearance, messages, unwanted touching, or questions about someone’s private life. Behaviour that was once welcome can become unwanted. It can come from a colleague, a manager or a customer.

3. What the law expects

The Equality Act 2010 makes sexual harassment at work unlawful. Since 26 October 2024, employers have also had a duty to take reasonable steps to prevent it. From 30 October 2026, that becomes all reasonable steps. Employers can be liable when staff are harassed by third parties, such as customers, if they have not taken all reasonable steps to prevent it. Since 6 April 2026, reporting sexual harassment can count as a protected disclosure under whistleblowing law. Our guide to the October changes explains each one in full, and Acas explains them on its Employment Rights Act pages.

4. How to report a concern, or support a colleague

Staff need to know who to tell, including when the person involved is their own manager. They need to know that no witness or proof is needed before they speak up, and that keeping a record helps. When a colleague confides in them, they should listen without judgement and help them report it if they choose to.

5. How everyday behaviour builds a respectful workplace

Much of prevention happens in small moments: how a comment lands, whether someone speaks up when a joke goes too far, how a team treats the person who reported something. In a positive culture, people feel confident to raise concerns early, when they are easiest to resolve.

How our updated course covers it

We rewrote and refilmed our Sexual Harassment Awareness course for the October changes, and it covers all five. It runs as 28 short video lessons set in everyday situations: the office coffee round, asking a colleague out, the warehouse break room, a blunt manager, a leaving do and a customer at a trade counter. Learners finish with a multiple-choice test and get a certificate as soon as they pass. Every video has English captions, with translations into 50 languages, and the course is CPD accredited. Read how we filmed it.

Some scenarios may be uncomfortable to watch, so the course signposts confidential support organisations for anyone who needs them.

Before 30 October

Training is one part of meeting the duty, alongside a risk assessment, a clear policy and a reporting route people trust. If your team took an earlier version of this course, assign the updated one. The new completion sits beside the old one on The Globe, so your records show both dates. Acas recommends refreshing training so staff and managers can recognise, challenge and report inappropriate behaviour. Managers who receive reports should also take our Sexual Harassment Awareness for Managers course.

Try the course free, or request a quote and we will send one, usually the same working day.